OWNERSHIP over a portion of Paskuhan Village was given back to the City Government of San Fernando.
This, after the local government units and Premiere Central Inc. (PCI) signed on January 20, 2020 a Compromise Agreement, which will be final and executory upon receipt of the court.
Lawyer Atlee Viray, city administrator, considered the decision as a win-win situation for the parties.
“The city realized that it would be to the best interest of the city and its constituents if the said property would be developed through the joint effort of the city government and the private sector with a common purpose to create income and job opportunities for jobs, business and investment,” Viray explained.
Aside from the 5,000 square-meter land area, PCI committed a two-storey building and an amphitheater, to be constructed without any cost to the city.
“This decision augurs well for the development of the area. This will also address the problem of our lantern celebrations during the Christmas season,” Viray added.
Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago also thanked Representative Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales, Jr. (Third District, Pampanga) and the solicitor general who helped the city file an annulment and re-conveyance of sale which, eventually, were settled through a compromise agreement.
“Finally, abalik taya ing singsing (we got the ring back),” the mayor said in relief.
Santiago, who fought for the property, stressed the importance of compassion and love for own’s culture.
“It is important to protect our culture since it is our roots,” Santiago remarked.
The property will be used for the promotion of Kapampangan arts and crafts as well as to showcase the rich culture of the city, especially the annual celebration of “Ligligan Parul”.
On February 10, the local government, thru the City Engineering Office, and PCI will mark the metes and bounds of the property.
The Paskuhan Village, also known as Hilaga, is a 9.3-hectare property, known in Pampanga as a place of best Christmas-inspired Filipino arts and crafts.
In the 1990s, Paskuhan Village served as the venue of San Fernando’s annual Ligligan Parul or the Giant Lantern Festival.
On December 17, 2014, four SM Group affiliates (SM Development Corp., Premier Central Inc., SM Prime Holdings and SEJ North Premier Holding Corp.) and Robinsons Land Corp. engaged in an open bidding for the purchase of the Paskuhan Village organized by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza).
Premier Central Inc. won the bid for the two lots of Paskuhan Village which they planmed to redevelop. However, the Village remain idle due to a sales dispute.
Congressman Gonzales called for the investigation on Paskuhan's sale. The sale to Premier Central was declared void on October 2, 2017 by Solicitor General Jose Calida for violating the Tourism Act of 2009 which prohibits the sale of state-owned cultural treasures and heritage sites.
Following the void of the sale of Paskuhan to Premier Central, San Fernando Mayor Edwin Santiago urged in October 2017 for the revival of the Paskuhan as a Christmas-themed park and the return of the Giant Lantern Festival to the venue.
After thorough deliberation, the parties arrived at an amicable settlement. Part of the agreement is the PCI’s donation of 5,000 square-meters of the Paskuhan Village plus a two-storey building and amphitheater, to be built free of cost for the city. (PR)